The Story of Nature Valley Lodge
A Handcrafted Family-Farm Wedding & Event Venue in Northeast Ohio
Nature Valley Lodge, a handcrafted rustic wedding and event venue in Northeast Ohio, began as a family dream on our farm. Over three years, expert Amish carpenters brought it to life by hand, crafting a 10,000-square-foot lodge from massive Douglas fir beams sourced in Oregon and a warm hemlock exterior. We were inspired by the grand lodges of America's national parks: generous spaces, natural textures, and views that do the talking. Today, the lodge welcomes weddings, retreats, and celebrations in a setting that feels both refined and effortless.
More Than a Venue: A Private Experience in Nature
Surrounded by rolling farmland at the edge of Ohio’s Amish Country, a stocked lake, and our own 23-acre nature reserve with forested hiking trails, Nature Valley Lodge offers a rare blend of beauty, privacy, and onsite lodging. Whether you’re hosting a lakeside ceremony, an indoor reception, or a weekend retreat, you’ll have the space and flexibility to design an event that reflects your style. With on-site parking for 200+ vehicles and valet service available, your guests will enjoy a smooth and stress-free arrival.
Couples love saying their vows by the water, sharing cocktails on the garden terraces, and moving inside for dinner under timber beams. In every season, guests stay comfortable with full climate control, heated floors, and a full-power backup generator. It’s a rare mix: an indoor and outdoor event venue wrapped in nature, with simple logistics and room to breathe.
A family farm at heart
Nature Valley Lodge grew from the Waikem family’s return to the land. After selling the family auto business in 2022, founder Doug Waikem came back to what he loved most and shaped Nature Valley Farm, a 53-acre property in North Lawrence with open fields, woodlands, and a spring-fed lake. Rooted in his childhood on a Perry Township farm, Doug wanted to introduce his own children to the hands-on, outdoor life he knew growing up. What began as a personal project became a place for people to gather by the water and celebrate well.
This is a working family farm, and hospitality is personal here. We built the lodge to feel like your own private hideaway for a day or a weekend. On-site lodging keeps your closest people steps from the celebration so you can linger, reconnect, and wake up to lake views.
Stewardship guides the work here. The woods include a designated nature reserve where non-native species have been removed and native growth encouraged. Farmland is leased back to local farmers to keep the ground productive and the community strong. The lodge itself reflects that care: built with local Amish craftsmen, engineered for comfort in every season, and crafted to last.
To help guests linger, we created on-site stays that feel close and relaxed. The Farmhouse sits steps from the lodge. Sherwood Park Ranch sits by the woods with room for a larger group and direct access to private trails. Smucker’s Country Cottage offers a playful touch with games and a hot tub. Together, they keep your favorite people nearby for a true weekend experience.
You will also meet the hosts who bring it all to life.
Doug leads the long-term vision for the farm and property. Jordan Waikem, Accommodations & Operations Director, looks after guest stays and develops community experiences. Deanna Townsend, Events Director, guides couples and planners from first inquiry through timelines and layout details so the day feels seamless.
“Traveling across America, I fell in love with the great lodges of our national parks. I wanted to bring that sense of scale and craft home to Ohio: a massive timber-frame, handmade the old way and built to last for generations. We brought Douglas fir from Oregon, clad the exterior in Canadian hemlock, and partnered with local Amish craftsmen. In the right spot by the lake, it became a magical place for major events.”
— Doug Waikem, Founder
What matters to us
When we imagined Nature Valley Lodge, we pictured more than a building. We pictured a place where people could slow down, breathe deeply, and savor a milestone together, surrounded by beauty and cared for with genuine hospitality.
What’s important to us is that your wedding or special event feels effortless. Planning can be overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. We built not only a beautiful venue but a thoughtful experience that brings together trusted vendors, flexible options, and behind-the-scenes support, so you can feel at ease from the first tour to the last dance.
We value partnership. We want to be more than a venue; we want to be part of your team. Working side by side with you and your vendors, our goal is a seamless day where every detail flows naturally and you are free to focus on what matters most: celebrating with your loved ones.
Our guiding values
Warm, attentive hosting that treats your day like our own
Partnership with couples and vendors
Authentic celebration of love and community
Beauty with purpose: nature-forward design that feels polished and welcoming
Down-to-earth communication and clear timelines
Plans that work in all weather, without compromise
Vendor freedom with support: choose the caterer, planner, and creative team you love. If you want recommendations, we share a trusted preferred-vendor list and coordinate access and logistics so planning stays simple and you feel confident in your team.
At the heart of it all, Nature Valley Lodge exists to give you a beautiful backdrop for life’s biggest milestones, paired with hospitality that feels like home. For us, it isn’t only about hosting events; it is about honoring the moments and the people who make them unforgettable.
Conveniently located just 20 minutes from Akron and Canton’s Belden Village, and only 5 minutes off Route 21, Nature Valley Lodge offers the ideal balance of rural seclusion and easy access. Whether you’re planning a rustic lodge wedding, corporate retreat, or private celebration, our location makes hosting effortless for local guests and out-of-town travellers alike.
If you’re exploring wedding venues in Northeast Ohio—or a family-farm venue with lodging for other types of events—come see how the spaces feel in person. We’d love to show you around and talk through your plans.